So, as you get ready to undeck the halls, here are a few helpful tips to guarantee your Christmas tree doesn’t end up in a landfill.

1. Ask the Important Question

What happens next to my tree? The truth is that just because someone picks up your tree, it doesn’t mean it will be recycled or composted. It could very well end up in a landfill, where it will take additional time to biodegrade. Unless you ask the person taking your tree, how will you know for sure where it’s headed?

But if that’s not enough incentive, what if we told you that you could actually get some freebies? In cities such as New York and Denver, Christmas trees are mulched, and the remaining material is made available to the public free of charge. Your community may also offer to redistribute the mulch to residents, saving you money on garden supplies in the spring.

2. Be Timely

Are you the neighbor who keeps the Christmas lights up until March? With Christmas trees, timing is of the essence because most recycling programs only last a few weeks into January.

If your curbside collection program accepts trees, it likely only does so for two or three weeks, because it often requires a separate truck to haul the extra waste.

Many yard waste facilities operate under special hours in January, as there isn’t a lot of yard waste to compost when trees are bare and there’s snow on the ground. If you’re late on recycling your tree, your curbside program may consider your tree to be “bulky waste,” thus requiring an extra fee.

A good rule of thumb is once you flip the calendar to January, start packing up the lights and ornaments and get your tree ready to recycle.

3. Keep It Simple

The value of recycling Christmas trees is that they are considered organic waste, which means they can be composted, mulched or even converted into fuel.

But the tree is only organic if it’s stripped down to its original form, which means removing all the lights, ornaments and tinsel.

Another recycling nightmare is the “flocked” tree, in which the tree is spray-painted white for a more “wintry” feel. Flocking pretty much guarantees that the tree will be landfilled, so consider this while you’re dreaming of a white Christmas.

If you’re recycling the tree in a curbside program, you’ll want to make sure it doesn’t block your other bins, because there are typically different trucks that haul each product. For larger trees, cutting them in half will make them easier to transport.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Spend

You may be asking yourself: “I’m doing a good thing for the environment, so why should I have to pay for it?” The answer is that it takes money to turn a Christmas tree into something usable, whether it’s mulch or even landfill cover. If you’re dealing with a recycler that isn’t paid by taxes, it’s only logical to pay for disposal.

Often, you can find Boy Scout troops that will collect trees from your curb and take them to a recycler for you. In most cases, this is a fundraiser for the troop, so the money you’re spending will cover gas costs and support Boy Scout programs.

If you are taking your tree to a yard waste facility, you’ll likely be charged a fee that is based on weight. The posted signs are usually based on per-ton charges, so don’t be scared away when you see $15+. Once your tree is weighed, it will likely cost less than $3 to recycle.

5. Recycle It Yourself

If you’re completely opposed to paying fees, or are worried about getting your tree to the curb on time, there are plenty of ways to take care of the tree on your own without a treecycling program:

Chop it into firewood and kindling. A standard noble fir tree can be turned into more than 13 pounds of firewood to keep you warm this winter. Just make sure you give it plenty of time to dry first (six months to a year, depending on climate) so that it burns cleaner.

Improve water quality. If you have a pond or other body of water in the backyard, tossing in your Christmas tree actually helps the fish by providing shelter and nutrients. Many communities have drop-off locations near bodies of water for this purpose. If you do not officially own the body of water (such as beach-front properties), you must get permission before disposing of your tree in this way.

Make your own coasters. If you’re ready to get crafty, shake off the needles into your yard to use as mulch, then cut the trunk into rustic coasters.

At Earth911, we’ve created a community that helps consumers find their own shade of green, match their values to their purchase behaviors, adopt environmentally sound practices and drive impactful environmental changes. We are here to deliver a mix of targeted content and eco-conscious products that influence positive environmental actions so that you can live a happier, healthier, sustainable lifestyle; one that protects this wonderful planet we call home.